Robert Neal – Pro Skateboarder
So what role does gaming play in your life?
Gaming plays a big role in my life; growing up as a kid I’ve always gamed. It was a thing we all did. We even put little wagers up in Mario Kart.
How does Tony Hawk’s Pro skater compare to real-life skating?
All the tricks you’re doing in the game are real-life tricks but it’s a little bit fake in a sense because it’s a video game. It’s definitely realistic in a way as well though.
Do you remember your first time playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater?
I was in 5th or 6th grade.
What are your favorite memories of playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater?
One of my favorite memories was playing with my cousin and I remember we got into it. We started arguing and we fought. That was a good memory.
How do you think Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater compares to what you do in real life?
The skate tricks…there are real tricks you can do in real life. The only different thing about it is it’s just exaggerated with extra tricks with manuals and grinds.
What role does evolution play in your work?
When I was younger I remember I couldn’t kickflip. And now, I’m kickflipping down 15 stairs so I’m definitely seeing it.
What has been the most motivating trick that you’ve mastered in real life? And what’s the craziest one you’ve done in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater?
The craziest trick that I’ve done in real life’s probably a nollie back heel off this thirteen stair in Sacramento. That was my first double-page spread I had in Thrasher magazine so I was hyped about doing that. In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, I’d say the craziest trick I’ve ever done was probably the one ya’ll saw me do earlier in the game.
How do you decide what trick you’re going to learn next?
The way I decide to learn a new skate trick is I watch a lot of skate videos. That’s where I get ideas for new tricks. Whatever tricks I have now, I incorporate new tricks on top of that from skate videos.
How does your community inspire you to learn something new?
My community inspires me to learn something new all the time because the youth is very talented and creative and they always have new things coming. They just keep me on my toes but I’m young myself so they keep me creative and inspired.
How do you overcome your fear of doing something for the first time?
The best way to overcome your fear, I say, is to pray before you do the thing that scares you. I like to pray. That’s what I do, but people are different. I know I can land a trick but I pray because it helps with my peace of mind to do a trick.
What’s your process for doing a new trick?
There are four ways I taught myself to do a trick. There’s leaning back, forward, one side, and the other side. I just try it like that, that’s how I approach every trick. Whatever way leaning works best, that’s how I do it every time. And it takes a few tries, honestly, where it comes to a point where I’m like ‘I can do this and land it.’ It’s about getting comfortable on your skateboard. If you’re not comfortable and you’re doing a trick, you’re gonna fall. Once you got it, you just stick it.
How important is the skating community to you?
My skate community is really important to me because of my friends, first and foremost, and the relationships that I’ve made. It’s universal; everyone in the world connects with skateboarding. It’s just all love but at the same time, there are a lot of haters too. I just drown them out. We all gonna have some haters. We all gonna have people that don’t like our style or the way we do tricks. As long as we got our friends around us it’s all gravy. The love overpowers the hate in the skating community.
Any words of advice to anyone learning skating?
Advice for young people just getting into skateboarding is to always have fun and stay creative. Always have good people around you. Good friends that love to push you and most importantly, just have fun.
How is it important to be more than just a skater?
Outside of skateboarding, it’s very important to be diverse because everybody skates. What separates you from outside skateboarding, it’s very important to have that image. What separates me from my skateboarding is that I’m also a model. I’m into fashion and naturally gravitated toward it. I’m usually rocking the Jordans, I keep Js on or Dunks. I ride for Nike so I keep the Swoosh on.
There’s too many skaters out there. It’s oversaturated so you have to distinguish yourself. If you set yourself up outside of skating like modeling, acting, art, it would be better.
Are there any elements in video games that are influencing you and your skating ability?
Gaming influences everything in my lifestyle. You see something cool on a game, like GTA game playlists, and then that influences my playlists.
How would you describe your style?
My style is sporadic. One day I’m wearing a jean jacket, denim on denim. The next day I’m wearing a whole summer kit. It just changes depending on how I feel.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from gaming with Mae?
The biggest thing I’ve learned from gaming with Mae is how to talk to an audience and how to stream. Not really caring what anyone has to say negatively. Like if someone comes in with negativity just drown them out with pizza. Also, I learned there are a lot of cameras in streaming and so many new devices out here.
What motivates you to keep going with skating?
The satisfaction of landing a trick. Us skaters…we’re very persistent. We just want to land our trick and get it out of the way.
What is your greatest gaming memory?
All time? My greatest gaming moment of all time. I would say my greatest moment is probably winning a few Warzones, definitely.
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